Original guitarist Clyde Grimes died on July 5, 2016. Vocalist Jerry Miller died on October 3, 2024.
Their debut EP, Live and Let Dance (1984), is rated with four and a half stars (on a 0–5 scale) by AllMusic . Vocalist Kevin Long (who had named the band) left in 1984. Guitarist Clyde Grimes took on more vocal leads, and in 1984 the band recorded “Free Yourself”,…
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The new line-up (still known as the Special A.K.A.) finally issued a new full-length album, In the Studio , in 1984. Officially, the band was now a sextet: Dakar, Campbell, Bradbury, Dammers, Shipley and new bassist Gary McManus. Cuthell, Newton, Panter and Radiation all appeared on the album as guests;…
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Their second single, “The General”, became a minor local hit, despite poor distribution. The band performed “The General” in the 1984 comedy The Party Animal , and they appeared as a scooter gang in the movie Repo Man . In early 1984, they were signed to Stiff Records . Concerts…
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After a shaky start playing at parties, the integrated septet were eventually booked at the O.N. Klub (known as the On to regulars). The band had guaranteed the club that they would pack the venue, and they did not disappoint. In middle of that year, they released their first (ska-styled)…
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Reverting once again to the name of the Specials, the band’s second album, More Specials , was not as commercially successful and was recorded at a time when, according to Hall, conflicts had developed in the band. Female backing vocalists on the Specials’ first two studio albums included Chrissie Hynde…
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They formed in 1981 as part of the embryonic L.A. mod revival, after being inspired by the ska revival and punk rock band the Boxboys. Since some could not play instruments, they either hastily learned, or became vocalists. The original lineup included Kevin Long (vocals), Chuck Askerneese (vocals), Terry Ellsworth…
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In 1979, shortly after drummer Hutchinson left the band to be replaced by John Bradbury , Dammers formed the 2 Tone Records label and released the band’s debut single, ” Gangsters “, a reworking of Prince Buster ‘s ” Al Capone “. “The Selecter” by The Selecter appeared on the…
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The group was formed in 1977 by songwriter and keyboardist Dammers, vocalist Tim Strickland, guitarist/vocalist Lynval Golding , drummer Silverton Hutchinson and bassist Horace Panter (Sir Horace Gentleman). Strickland was replaced by Terry Hall shortly after the band’s formation. The band was first called the Automatics, then the Coventry Automatics.…
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The Specials began at the same time as Rock Against Racism , which was first organised in 1978. According to Dammers, anti-racism was intrinsic to the formation of the Specials, in that the band was formed with the goal of integrating black and white people. Many years later Dammers stated…
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